Maverick

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Model Name(s)

Handling Name(s)

Text Label Name(s)

Population Information

Spawns Naturally?

• ­Parked (3D Universe)

• ­Yes (HD Universe)

Max Number of same color (GTA V)

10

Spawn Frequency

100 (GTA IV & GTA V)

Distance between identical models (GTA V)

20

Specific Drivers?

S_M_M_GenTransport (Pilot)

"A two-bladed, twin-engine helicopter, the Maverick was manufactured in Canada, but you shouldn't let that put you off. Originally designed for military use, when the army rejected them for looking too 'French', they became hugely popular with rich social climbers for exactly the same reason. Used by law enforcement for surveillance operations, you'll often see them hovering above inner city African American neighborhoods. Billion candlepower spotlight and loudspeaker optional, but trust us, it's fun to play with over poor neighborhoods at night."

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

"Executive helicopter for high rollers, big spenders, and tourists."

— GTA Vice City Website.

In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, the Maverick is a fully accessible vehicle, available in quite a few places, and it is the only helicopter that is available in a variety of colors. There is also another smaller two-passenger version dubbed VCN Maverick that is used by the Vice City News.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the Maverick is essentially the same helicopter, but with slightly altered handling, a different graphics and a new sound.

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

The Maverick in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories is not intended to be obtained by the player. However, it can be obtained by the player during the missions Calm Before the Storm given by Joseph Daniel O'Toole[1] and False Idols given by Ned Burner[2]. It's unusually fast and can reach high speeds in a matter of three seconds, which is not possible in other games (since it's somewhat scripted to be faster). Moving the camera moves the helicopter (because the right analog stick was to alternatively control a helicopter in Vice City.) The blades are used of that of an AI-controlled Police Maverick, and the blades renders transparency incorrectly when they are viewed through the blades (i.e. trees.)

Grand Theft Auto IV

In Grand Theft Auto IV the Maverick has been changed slightly, including new crash animations, four rotor blades, blinking lights, new sound and improved design, although it still remains similar to the previous renditions of the Maverick and shows similar flight abilities.

The Maverick is still based on the Bell 206L Longranger, but features four blades on its main rotor, similar to the Bell 407. In-game, it retains the body design of previous Mavericks.

In addition to the aforementioned difference in rotor design (a two-blade rotor replaced by a four-blade variety), pre-release materials also depict earlier forms of the Maverick as having shut rear doors, as opposed to slid open doors in the final version.

Grand Theft Auto V

The Maverick returns in Grand Theft Auto V, looking similar to its previous versions. It is now manufactured by Buckingham (suggesting that sometime between 2008 and 2013, Buckingham bought out the Western Company or the manufacturing rights to the Maverick and Police Maverick). The Maverick has its design based on that of the Bell 206L Longranger. Compared to its previous rendition, it features a smoother fuselage design and also more modern skids. Similar to older designs, it features a two rotor blades. The helicopter is now fitted with a camera as well like the Police Maverick, which is usable by the passenger.

Version History Gallery

Performance

In most GTA games, the Maverick is offered as the first controllable helicopter and usually early in the game's story, probably because its balanced performance makes it relatively easy to maneuver than other helicopters.

Overall, the Maverick is a good choice of transport, but is unsuitable for combat purposes, since it lacks armor, as well as an own set of weaponry.

3D Universe

In the 3D Universe, the Maverick is a short, nimble, basic helicopter. It has a high top speed, forward thrust is acceptable, and its maneuverability it on par with most competitors. Durability is rather slack due to its thin bodywork and overall 'light' design, making it unsuitable for long-time air pursuits or for purposeful crashing, as it can only take several crashes, and a small amount of bullets before it begins to smoke and break down.

Grand Theft Auto IV

A major improvement in Grand Theft Auto IV, the Maverick returns as a slightly bigger, more durable, and experimental vehicle. The Maverick is now even faster and more maneuverable, largely due to the changes to the general handling of both land an air vehicles to GTA IV.

Durability is acceptable for its purpose, and thanks to its bodywork, can still take numerous beatings before it falls out of the sky.

Stability is rather disappointing. Even despite the 4-blade design, the helicopter has limited stability and cornering can be very unresponsive, and landing can be more trouble after slowing down or performing a quick turn or maneuver.

Grand Theft Auto V

The Maverick returns to GTA V with a major upgrade in its handling. Its top speed and take-off capabilities are still the same, however it is now more rigid and can maneuver with ease, all despite its downgraded 2-blade system. It is also much more durable than the previous renditions; albeit with the exception of high-speed impacts resulting in an instant explosion, a property found on all aircraft in the game.

Variants

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Coastguard Maverick

The Coastguard Maverick is a cut Maverick in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories intended as a variant used by the Coastguard. Its handling can be found in the respective game's files.

Special Variants

An all-black Maverick appears in Interdiction used by the CIA, with four gunners on the sides.

During "Loose Ends", one special colored one spawns on the roof of the ice cream factory.

During "Hit the Courier", the courier will arrive in a Maverick to deliver the counterfeit plates.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

During "The Da Nang Thang", Little Lion and Carl Johnson use a Maverick to assault a Cargoship, it can be collected by pushing it to the land since the sinking feature is removed, it has an invincible feature.

During "Pier 69", a Maverick transporting Toreno will fly towards Pier 69 but is alerted by the dead bodies on the rooftops and flees.

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

During "Calm Before the Storm", an indestructible Maverick is used as Massimo Torini's mode of transport, sporting a uniquely jet black color with two white stripes. The helicopter can be obtained in the PSP version and some PS2 unpatched versions as the helicopter makes a stopover at Chinatown. Entering the Helicopter will cause the mission to fail after a few minutes in the air, the Helicopter removed from the game, and Toni appearing Wasted in the floor of the city.

During "The Passion of the Heist", when a fireproof Maverick is flown by a gang that stole diamonds. The helicopter can be obtained.

During "Caught in the Act", which features a fireproof "Secret Service", pure black Maverick.

During "False Idols", when a Maverick is used to transport actress Faith W. to the Liberty City Free Radio station. The helicopter is obtainable on some versions of the game, since newer versions have been patched preventing the player from obtaining the Maverick.

During "The Sicilian Gambit", when a Maverick is used by Massimo to launch an assault on the player at the Portland Rock lighthouse is required to be shot down. The helicopter is vulnerable to damage and can´t be obtained.

Massimo Torini - Massimo owns a Maverick that is jet black with two white stripes as seen during the missions Calm Before the Storm and The Sicilian Gambit. (Note that the Maverick in Calm Before the Storm is completely indestructible, while the one in The Sicilian Gambit is normal.)

Note: This should only be taken as a last resort, since going behind the gate without a law enforcement vehicle triggers a 3 star wanted level. To avoid it, park a police bike right next to it and then take off as fast as possible, or kill the officer us

Grand Theft Auto V

Can be purchased from Elitás Travel for $1,100,000. Spawns in black and white colors.

Green variants are used by most pilots in parachuting locations marked around the map, like the one in La Puerta. Tapping the enter button near it will make the character enter the back and go for the parachute jump, but holding the button will make the character hijack the helicopter.

The Maverick is the last vehicle seen in the game, hence making it the last vehicle non-chronologically shown in the 3D Universe.

Grand Theft Auto IV

Pre-release material, such as television footage, suggests GTA IV's Maverick was originally intended to retain its two blade rotor, along with a basic opening rear doors.

While taking a ride in Brucie's helicopter, there is a very small sticker on the helicopter's instrument panel that reads "This helicopter might crash. But we don't really care if it does. Refer to flight manual for help." The helicopter of Helitour does not have this message.

Despite having rear seats, rear passengers only sit on the footboards.

There is an unusual occurrence, possibly a glitch, with the helicopter which may be occasionally found on the helipad over the West River in Algonquin near Purgatory and Westminster - the same helipad used for Yusuf Amir's Swift and the golden Buzzard in The Ballad of Gay Tony. If the player climbs the ladder-tower, located left of the roadway-entrance to the helipad (behind and amongst the tractor-trailer containers), the player can see the helicopter on the helipad from the top of the tower. When the player slides or climbs down the ladder, however, the helicopter will occasionally vanish.

The Ballad of Gay Tony

The Maverick is sometimes used as a drug vehicle during the Drug Wars side mission. It may appear in different unique colors that aren't found on the streets.

Grand Theft Auto V

The change of manufacturer between GTA IV and GTA V could be explained by Buckingham buying the branding and manufacturing rights for the Maverick from Western Company.

It can also be explained by Buckingham producing the helicopter under-license from Western Company, reflecting the manufacture of the Bell 206 in Canada and Italy under license from Bell. It is also possible that the change was an oversight.

Grand Theft Auto Online

If the player calls Merryweather to pick the player up, they have the ability to use the winch to rappel off the helicopter if the player puts the GPS waypoint on top of certain highrise buildings, like the FIB Headquarters or simple apartment buildings, or onto some ground-level areas (mainly beaches).

Oddly, the Elitás Travel webpage depicts the Maverick as being a twin-engine helicopter, but in real-life, most Bell 206 variants were strictly single-engined, with some twin-engine models built during the mid-to-late 1990's, with only 13 of them being built. However, the upper side of the fuselage would technically have enough room for a single engine.

The Elitas Travel webpage refers to the Maverick as being built in Canada and as being "too French" for the United States Armed Forces. This is a reference to the fact that the Bell JetRanger, the helicopter on which the Maverick is based, is manufactured at Bell Helicopter's Quebec Plant.